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Sunday, March 25, 2012

Another Spring

 "That is one good thing about this world . . . there are always sure to be more springs." ~L. M. Montgomery, from Anne of Avonlea


At last, that glorious season of hope rekindled and longings stirred has waved its merry banner in an announcement of its arrival--springtime! Golden sunshine has ventured forth to bathe the earth in warmth and to inspire lighthearted, happy thoughts. Happy things.

"So come with me where dreams are born, and time is never planned. Just think of happy things, and your heart will fly on wings, forever in Never, Never Land!" ~J. M. Barrie, from Peter Pan

Today I took a walk in the rain and captured on camera the first white dogwood blossoms of the year. Thunder bellowed in the distance, and I raised my face to the sky and whispered, "Thank you, Father, for your glory and power and beauty." Today is a gift of grace. I pondered my new-found joy, this challenge of counting and recording gifts of grace. (Discover the challenge in Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts!) It has changed my life and opened the door to new aspects of God, of living every day centered on Him, consumed by Him. 


Spring is a time of new beginnings, when the promise of new life comes true. Shy buds muster the courage to unfurl and allow their beautiful faces to be seen. Tiny sprouts peek out from the dirt, their green faces beaming with the knowledge that they will soon blossom into glorious plants. Harsh winter has had its season of covering the world, but now . . . now is springtime's turn to reveal herself. We have had our season of blindness to God's gifts, of seeing only the white and gray of wintertime. But now . . . now is our time to revel in His grace and recognize all of His colors and splendor. Our time to "count the ways He loves."


To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. ~Ecclesiastes 3:1